Business Stories - Kitsap County

Bainbridge's Smile Partner's reaches out to low income families seeking dental care

As a dental hygienist, Kate Mills has spent 37 years hunched over people’s mouths. Yuck, you say? You’d think she’d be sick of cleaning teeth and searching for signs of periodontitis by now, but she has a new view of dentistry since co-founding Washington State Smile Partners, a nonprofit that offers preventive services to children and adults who can’t afford a trip to the traditional dentist’s office.

Bainbridge sisters make summer jobs from scratch

“Baking is part of what we’ve been doing as a family,” Robin Briggs said. When Robin and her sister, Kate, contemplated summer plans this year, they decided it might be fun to pour their combined talents into a small commercial interest.

BUSINESS BRIEFING

Islanders urged to buy locally

BUSINESS BRIEFINGS

Men’s clothing store to open

Popular Bremerton sandwich shop closing

Frosty’s Sandwiches has sat at 701 Pacific Avenue for more than 28 years. Now, owner Chung Madsen said it’s time to close up shop. Frosty’s Sandwiches in Bremerton will close at the end of the month. “I’m telling all of my customers I’m closing and they don’t know what to do,” Madsen said.

KitsapArt celebrates decade of creativity

When Ruth Harris opened KitsapArt School of the Arts, she only had two students.

Ghandi's in Silverdale to purchase care packages for troops

Gandhi’s, located on Mickelberry Road in Silverdale, will host the first of many special nights dedicated to the military Friday, July 4. The Indian restaurant will donate 50 percent of all sales that day to purchase and ship care packages to troops serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Talkin’ business with the chamber director

Darla Murker might be a busy lady, but she always finds time for the things she loves.

Kingston woman puts finishing touches on Cleo's Landing arts center

Susan Rodgers’ smile is shining as bright as the sun that’s finally warming up the first week of summer in the North End. It’s her excitement beaming out as the finishing touches are put on her new Cleo’s Learning Center for the Arts at Cleo’s Landing in old town Kingston. She envisions the 515 square-foot meeting space, that’s topped off with a 650 square-foot rooftop sculpture garden, as not only a place to offer art classes, but also host conferences, receptions and anything to serve her mission to “Bring People to Town!”

Who falls under 'distressed home seller' category? | Jan Zufelt

Dear Jan: We are confused. We heard on the news about a new law regarding “Distressed Home Sellers.” Who falls into this category?

Kingston real estate agent Zufelt awarded residential designation

Jan Zufelt, associate broker and Realtor® and with John L. Scott in Kingston, was awarded the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation by the Council of Residential Specialists, the largest nonprofit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors®.

The dos and don'ts of home equity line of credit | Column

There are a lot of banks advertising enticing home equity line-of-credit rates, especially in this lower interest rate environment. It can be tempting to borrow against the equity in your home for that special vacation or a fancy new car. But be mindful of the consequences before you take on the additional debt of an equity line.

Windermere staffers clean up Kingston-Eglon trail

On Friday, June 20, about 20 volunteers from the Kingston Windermere Real Estate office showed up to do trail maintenance on the north end of the Kingston-Eglon trail, whacking weeks, hauling wheelbarrows full of gravel and more.  They contacted the Parks and Trails subcommittee of Kingston Citizens’ Advisory Council with a request for candidate projects and selected this one – laying down some crushed rock and trimming back brush – from a list of several projects in immediate need of volunteers.

More homes on market, but less sold in North Kitsap compared to Q1 in '07

When comparing the first quarter of 2008 versus 2007, fewer homes sold as many more came on the market. Not that this is a surprise as we all know the market has softened.

Condos a great option for ownership and plentiful in Kingston

Q&A with real estate expert Jan Zufelt.

National 'hero' helpline plants itself in Kitsap County

Joan Qvigstad is an assistant program director for Herocare, a nation-wide, non-profit dedicated to providing community heroes with free financial advice and discounted services, offered as a “thank you” for serving. Herocare, founded in 2006 by Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Lane Houk in Florida, assists military service members, educators, health care workers, government employees and first response such as police, firefighters, paramedics and EMS personnel.

Poulsbo spa rasies $1K for Earth Month | North Kitsap Business Briefs

A quick look at what's going on with North Kitsap businesses.

Port Orchard framing store thrives in niche

Mallory Jackson believes in keeping the customer satisfied, and she’s convinced it’s this commitment that’s helped to keep her in business while others in downtown Port Orchard have folded their tent and moved to some other town in order to succeed. As owner of Custom Picture Framing on Bay Street, Jackson, 47, has spent the past 13 years providing her customers a way to preserve their memories in a unique way.

West Sound Workforce head addresses Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce

Prevailing economic conditions have presented small businesses with a significant challenge with regard to acquiring and maintaining a capable staff, according to an address to the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce last week.

Picture It Designed puts the best face on homes